November, 2009:

by Ry Beville

In the previous issue, we featured Mooneyes Area 1, promising to tell you more about owner Suganuma Shige. But first, a little more about Dean Moon (1927-87), who founded MOON Speed Equipment in 1950.

Moon was a godfather of the hotrod industry, though his influence extends beyond racing. An innovator of speed parts and flashy presentation, he inspired the sports car industry as a whole and contributed immensely to so-called “Kustom Kulture.” At its heart, the movement is about taking mass-produced machines and turning them into individual works of art through customization. It is a hobby for many, a way of life for some.

Cars have long been a core part of American cultural and industrial history and Shige is an unexpected part of that history. He met Dean Moon in 1983, when he visited the store in California to buy some Moon discs (shiny hubcaps). Shige knew the logo as a kid, as Moon was already famous in Japan in the 1960s. After Shige’s visit, the two exchanged letters for years. Shige recalls, “During my trips to the US, he was like a father to me.” Through Dean’s blessing, Shige opened Moon of Japan.

In 1987, Shige organized the Tokyo Street Car Nationals, the first event for customized American cars in Japan. The year was also a turning point because Dean Moon passed away. Moon’s wife took over but then passed away in 1990. Moon Speed Equipment faced uncertainty. Large corporations only wanted to buy the logos to exploit them for profit, but not the business itself. Since Shige had been running his store in Japan for several years, he decided to step in and save it. “I loved the tradition,” he says, “loved being a part of it.” He purchased the rights, kept the old buildings and called back the original employees.

Some people questioned why the quintessentially American business was passed to a Japanese man. And one industry insider’s account relates that Shige himself expressed concern over lingering anti-Japanese sentiment. Many others, however, have written that they were happy to work with Shige. He did, after all, commit his life to the business. When asked why, he says, “It’s very difficult to explain. I love hot rods—that’s it.” Today, Shige is widely recognized in the US for his role, and the annual Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show (on December 6th) he organizes draws thousands of people from around the world.

by Vincent Trivett

It’s hard to live in Yokohama for very long without hearing about Yokoyama Ken and the Crazy Ken Band. When I got to see him live and speak with him myself (no small thanks to our friend Chibow for that) I told some friends. Practically everyone proudly reminded me that he is one of Yokohama’s favorite sons. Crazy Ken has been playing rock and roll and writing songs for decades. He has written songs for a wide range of popular bands and scored plenty of hits himself. Despite his celebrity, he is still a local at heart. Many, if not most, of his songs celebrate Yokohama and Kanagawa prefecture in some way.

Despite heavy rain before the show, there were hundreds of fans lined up at Bay Hall for his last performance on the “Girls! Girls! Girls!” tour. The house was almost packed and the crowd was mixed, with practically all ages represented. Ken came on stage with the other eleven members of his band wearing matching suits to meet the ecstatic crowd—Ken wore his trademark hat and sunglasses. His showmanship kept the 3-hour show energetic, though guitarist Onose Masao is also a particularly impressive musician. CKB’s music is so varied that you might be able to salsa during one song and head-bang during the next.

Before the show, I sat down with Crazy Ken. Compared to his explosive stage personality, he wasn’t so crazy at all—just a regular, relaxed guy in a T-shirt.

YSM: You describe yourselves as “The sound of Yokohama and Yokosuka.” What do you mean by that?

Crazy Ken Yokoyama: We echo the sounds you hear when you are out in Yokohama. I grew up in the 60s and 70s. Back then, Honmoku was home to a US military presence and there were plenty of bars and stores that catered to the Americans. I remember the first time I heard rock and roll when I was young. It was like a forbidden fruit. I would hear exciting music coming from the ventilation ducts of bars and from passing cars and it started to interest me. I didn’t know the names of any of the bands I was hearing except for the Beatles. Yokohama was—and still is—a place where Western and Japanese culture and music met and mixed. We are definitely influenced by rockabilly, reggae, hip hop and R&B. I would say that our sound has a cultural ancestor in Motown and old Showa kayô ballads.

YSM: I definitely hear the influence from Motown and your vocals are indeed sometimes reminiscent of Showa kayô. Are you trying to create a nostalgic sound?

CKY: Ah, not at all. I definitely don’t want to just copy old music. I like variety. Like I said, we play what we hear on the streets and that’s why we also incorporate more modern music like reggae and latin music. I’m interested in the mixture of American and Japanese culture. I want to make music like those shiny Yokosuka jackets with the dragons on them… or a sign for a Japanese restaurant in Honolulu…or (he picks up our magazine) something like this. It’s Japanese, but not really, and not quite exactly Western. I like stuff like this.

YSM: Thank you! So, when did you start playing music? What were you doing before you went major?

CKY: I started playing in bands when I was 14 years old. I was doing a bunch of different day jobs and playing at live houses at night. For a while, I was just operating a forklift at a warehouse in Chinatown. I also spent 8 years as an export inspector, opening crates before they shipped out.

YSM: What are you trying to do with your new album, “Girls! Girls! Girls!”?

CKY: There are a lot of songs about women. It’s a sort of homage to women. I just want to show my love and respect for the women that I have known, starting with my wife, my mother, and my two daughters.

YSM: What do you usually do when you aren’t touring or recording?

CKY: I like to just go for drives. I like classic cars and I have a motorcycle, too. I head out to Yokosuka, Hayama and places like that for the fun of it. Around here, I don’t drink alcohol, but I like to stop by Boogie Café in Honmoku, and Bitters sometimes. I come to Bay Hall quite often for the reggae and hip hop nights.

YSM: Thanks Ken.

In Japanese Kitchen, Japanese Commuter Train, public conVENience, and more, the contemporary artist Tabaimo drew animated videos of the fragmentary landscape of contemporary Japanese culture, and with them composed three dimensional installations. The results of her work gained Tabaimo international acclaim. Right after her debut, in 2001, Tabaimo entered the first Yokohama Trienniale as the youngest participating artist. Ten years later, Tabaimo returns to Yokohama with five new video installations to open her largest solo exhibition yet.

As she enters her mid thirties, Tabaimo’s upcoming exhibition exhibits a theme informed by a personal sense of generations, a personal world view. Tabaimo’s early work juxtaposed common images of contemporary life. In more recent years, her work has become more introverted, as she adopted a motif that included fingers, hair, and internal organs. In the upcoming exhibition, this world around Tabaimo is symbolized in the shape of a housing complex. In rooms of the exact-same floor-plan, different lives unfold. Like inserting a kitchen knife, Tabaimo cuts open a DANMEN (cross-section) of the housing complex, and various lives are carved out in a harmonious union of past and present. Step foot into the flow of raw images of people and nature, connected in Tabaimo’s profound creative world.

Cheers opened four years ago, specializing in British real ale, but today, it boasts 12 rotating taps and almost 100 bottled beers. Cheers mainly serves Japanese micro-brews, Belgian and German beers, real ale, and a smattering of beers from other countries. Together with Atsugi Brewery, Cheers markets its own house beer, the “Secret Joker.” The vibrant clientele at Cheers (some of whom were wearing brewery T-shirts) are mostly beer connoisseurs that are not satisfied with the run-of the mill swill. For the non-beer drinker, Cheers offers… beer. That’s right, no spirits or cocktails here. Try fruit-flavored Belgian beers like Bellevue Kriek instead.

For the adventurous gourmand, Cheers is the perfect place to expose your taste buds to new things. The owner, Horikawa Hideki, does a lot to encourage just that. Every Friday and Saturday, Cheers hosts a small festival to introduce customers to beer from a certain region or brewery, or a particular variety of beer or European food. The main menu has the usual pub grub like pizza, shellfish, fish and chips, but it doesn’t end there. You can even enjoy eastern-Mediterranean foods such as falafel, hummus, and pita sandwiches. Starting this month, Cheers will be serving five flavors of beer jam—something I have never even heard of, much less tasted! We were given a sneak preview taste of the delicious walnut and salt vanilla flavored jam.

Beyond the food and drinks, the décor of Cheers is also very European. One refreshing difference is that smoking is only allowed on the indoor terrace in front of the bar. This prevents smoke from interfering with the taste of the beer, beyond allowing customers to breathe. As in the UK, the bar is cleared out by 11:30 so nobody misses the last train home. This isn’t your loud, bawdy boozing hole.

When we stopped by for the Shonan Beer festival, the bar was filled mostly with young couples and friends. At the festivals, it isn’t uncommon to see live traditional music. Many of the folks that you meet there are regulars, but it’s such a welcoming environment that you might just become one yourself. I know that I will!

住所: 神奈川区鶴屋町３−３２−１４
新港ビB１F
Kanagawa-ku Tsuruyacho 3-32-14
Shinko Building B1F
TEL: 045-311-7804
営業時間/Hours:
月曜日〜金曜日/Mon – Fri 16：00~24:00
土曜日/Sat 15：00~24：00
祝日/Hol. 15：00~23：00
定休日/Closed: 毎週日曜日/Mon

www.yokohama-cheers.com

by Vincent Trivett

Tattoos in Japan, traditionally called irezumi, have been associated with crime and the underworld for a long time. Beyond the famous full body murals that gangsters are known to sport, tattoos were once used in Japan to brand criminals. Today, though younger people increasingly get them, tattoos can still result in ostracism (and refused entry at gyms and onsen).

It is surprising that body art is seen in such a bad light, especially given its rich tradition in Japan. Many Japanese tattoo artists are internationally sought and respected. Even Russia’s Czar Nicholas II and George the V of England were taken enough by them to get inked in Japan. Yokohama has a unique place in the history of Japanese body art. When tattoos were barred for Japanese by the shogunate, tattoo artists found a legal market for their skills in the new port. One of the most famous living artists today is Yokohama’s Nakano Yoshihito, usually known as The Third Horiyoshi, after his predecessors. Horiyoshi has had the pleasure of inking, relating with and teaching a number of famous people including the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Ed Hardy. In addition to running two local tattoo studios and training numerous apprentices, Horiyoshi is also the proud owner of the ten-years-running Tattoo Museum.

Before I visited, I knew that this would be an interesting experience, but this place managed to exceed my expectations from the beginning. On introducing myself, I received three name cards. One for Horiyoshi, one for his wife, Mayumi, who manages the museum, and one for the sub-manager of the museum, a monkey named Kai-chan, one of several species of pets that live in the museum.

The two-floor museum is filled just a bit beyond capacity with historic photographs, tattooing tools from as far back as the Edo period, and tattoo related art. Many of the exhibitions are related to Horiyoshi himself and the Japanese tradition of body art, but there are also fascinating exhibits on the body-modification traditions of indigenous peoples such as the Maori.

This quirky little place is not suited for a family outing, but it is very fascinating, fun and completely worth a visit.

住所: 横浜市西区平沼1-11-7今井ビル　
Nishi-ku Hiranuma 1-11-7 Imai Building
TEL: 045-323-1073
営業時間/Hours:
12:00-19:00
(最終入館/last entry at 18:30)
休刊日: 毎月十日定休
Closed: the 10th of every month
入館料: Admission ¥1000

www.ne.jp/asahi/tattoo/horiyoshi3/museum.html

by Sakamoto Flash with Nagano Kazuo

There’s nothing like beer after a long journey. Witness the iconic, 19th century picture of Tommy, the last beer samurai.

In 1853 Commodore Matthew Perry cruised into Uraga with his powerful “black ships.” By 1860, Japan had assembled two delegations to visit America. The Kanrin Maru delegation has grabbed the historical spotlight for having carried such personages as Fukuzawa Yukichi. But bright-eyed Tommy was a part of a bakufu mission that preceded them on the USS Powhatan.

Tommy was born Kobanawa Narisama in 1843. In those days, last names were fluid and changed with whatever clan-house you were living in. Little Tommy eventually assumed the name Tateishi Onojirô. Tateishi Tokujurô was an uncle on his mother’s side and a Dutch interpreter for the bakufu. Tommy studied under him, hence the name. Hence the connections. There is compelling evidence that Tommy met Perry and his crew in Yokohama, during Perry’s second visit in 1854.

Tommy came of age in tumultuous times. He wasn’t like his stodgy elders. In America, the interpreter trainee quite simply bloomed. Newspapers indicate he was a stud. Handsome, with an “irrepressible personality,” he was the center of women’s attentions at official receptions and wrote love letters to them. The press nicknamed him Tommy. He became such a star that a German composer in Philadelphia wrote the “Tommy Polka” in honor of him.

Did Tommy get some good loving? Admit it, you hope he did. Alas, reporter Edward House’s (1836-1901) accounts are vague. Tommy spoke of “his earnest desire to discover a suitable wife” in the U.S. But when older women swarmed him, he was “generally taken with a fit of business.” House later reported that Tommy had become “the victim of a hopeless passion.” Hmmm.

What better way to celebrate youth and the changing times than with a photograph with his brother? Numerous pictures of Tommy remain, but nothing like this: fully attired samurai pouring each other a beer! And smiling! Nothing else like this remains in any of Japan’s photographic records. The exact date of the picture is unclear, but it was probably taken at a studio in Osaka years after his return.

Tommy lived out his long life as a family man in the service of the government, even spending two years in Hawaii after 1887. He died in 1917 in a quiet home by the sea. His legend, of course, lives on. Tommy Polka is now on YouTube, and the iconic picture was a label for some limited edition beer from the Yokohama Brewery. We are still waiting for the movie.

(This article is shared content with Koe Magazine: www.koemagazine.com)

by David Ellis

High on the Yamate Bluff, there is a magic store where every day is Christmas. Christmas Toys, which is dedicated to all things Christmas, is located next to the Toys Club Museum. Interestingly, it is open all year round for people who just can’t get enough of Christmas.
When you enter the store’s front yard, it’s soon clear that you’ve entered Santa’s world. Plastic Santas and snowmen are everywhere. Lots of kids were having pictures made in front of a giant Christmas wreath outside, but my son wanted to pose in front of a cool, old VW van, which is always parked in front of the store with Santa and a snowman in the front seat. Next to the front door is a countdown chalkboard marking the days left until Christmas.

The mood inside is quite merry. Christmas songs are always playing in the background and the staff are friendly, as is the store’s mascot dog TJ, a rather large golden retriever. The little store is jam packed with Christmas goods, including artificial Christmas trees, ornaments, door wreaths, Christmas cards, Santa chocolates, stockings, candy canes, and Christmas bears.

So if you are worried about where to buy Christmas decorations or just need to get into the Christmas spirit, take a walk up to the Bluff for a visit. If you don’t have plans for Christmas Eve, Christmas Toys will be holding a cake party for up to 1,000 people at 6:00 p.m. on Dec. 24th.

住所: 横浜市中区山手町239
Naka-ku Yamatecho 239　
営業時間/Hours: 9:30~18:00
(土・日・祝日は〜19時)
TEL: 045-623-1696

www.toysclub.co.jp/shop/xmastoys.html

Takemura “Chibow” Eiji lounges at the counter of Honmoku’s iconic Boogie Café. He’s so mellow at times you might not even notice him. With his trademark hat and deceptively youthful looks, he could just be another guy come in from the street for a drink. Hard to believe you are in the presence of a neighborhood legend.

Then you see him on stage. Did Mick Jagger study this guy’s moves, or the other way around? And that voice—how many Japanese male vocalists can sing convincingly in the style of American and British classic rock? Chibow was one of the first. And he admits he’ll be the first to go if he can’t sing convincingly anymore.

Chibow reminisces, “I started because I wanted the girls. I was about 16. I soon discovered I was able to sing the Kinks really well.” Three years later, he landed a recording contract in Tokyo. So began Powerhouse, a band that included the now-famous Yanagi Joji. Although they only did covers of classic rock, music critics credit them for achieving the first authentic blues-rock sound in Japan.

Chibow later continued on with the Powerhouse Blues Band, which opened for B.B. King. Chibow is obviously a man who understands the blues. He relates, “I never stopped playing music after I started… except for about a year I spent in jail.” Can I put that in the interview? Yes—Chibow is comfortable with the path his life has taken. He opened Boogie Café in 1990 so that people could come together for food, music and conversation. He calls it, “a place alive with life.”

Now his life is occupied with a new passion—his band, Ska 9—and his collaborations include area artists like Chozen Lee, Yokoyama Ken, and Mighty Crown. Asked how long he’ll continue playing, and he reiterates his point that he doesn’t want to be some sad-sack nostalgia act. “If I suck, then I’ll quit, but there’s still a lot I want to try.” Les Paul rocked on until his recent death in his early 90s. Chibow may just do the same.

In a time of heightened awareness over food safety, it’s reassuring to know that fresh, local vegetables—many of them organic—are so readily available. Along Honmoku-dori, near the street that leads up to Sankeien, you may have noticed an old, American-style school bus parked on the sidewalk. It’s actually a store called Marchê 21, and the vendor, Hayashi Gaku, sells fresh vegetables, most of them grown in Kamakura. About 80% are organic and prices range from only 100 to 300 yen. He’s open everyday from noon to about 6:30. Pick up a “salad set” on your way home for dinner. Or, try some of the more unusual, seasonal vegetables, like the monster-sized zucchini.

Mooneyes is a unique part of Yokohama history and local culture. If you’ve ever gone down Honmoku-dori, you’ve probably noticed the gorgeous classic cars parked outside a large building with cheerful red lighting that reads Mooneyes Area-1. The store sells custom parts and accessories for cars and bikes, as well as an array of clothing, magazines and related novelty items. Attached to it is the 1960s American-style diner, Moon Cafe.

“Area-1″ derives from the days before the area was called Honmoku, when it was home to US army facilities. “Mooneyes” refers to the logo of the late Dean Moon, a godfather of hot rodding in the U.S. and the legendary founder of Mooneyes speed equipment. Yokohama local Suganuma Shige created Moon of Japan with Dean’s blessing, and is now the owner and operator of both Moon of Japan and Mooneyes USA, two companies that run the worldwide business. After Dean’s death, his family decided to pass the torch to Shige because they believed he had the passion and loyalty to continue the tradition with respect and honor. And he has! (For the complete story of Shige’s inspiring role in Mooneyes, please see the Yokohama Ningen column for December)

Over the years, Mooneyes has been involved in an array of Yokohama events, from concerts with local artists to its popular and long-running annual Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show. While some of its classic cars are for display, others are available for purchase. Or, buy specialty parts yourself and “pimp your ride.”

A distinct community has grown up around Mooneyes. The café provides a place for this extended Mooneyes family as well as locals, regional guests and newcomers to gather for good food and good conversation. Their “Moon Burgers” and Hawaiian dishes are highly recommended—and don’t pass on the genuine milkshakes, either! Mooneyes Café is not a late-night spot, but more of a friendly family restaurant and café.

If you haven’t been and want to whet your curiosity more, check out their on-line store. But eventually, you’ve got to go for the local Mooneyes experience.

住所: 中区本牧宮原2-10
Naka-ku, Honmoku Miyahara 2-10
TEL (Mooneyes Area 1): 045-623-5959
11:00~20:00 every day!

TEL (Moon Cafe): 045-623-3960
営業時間/Hours:
火曜〜土曜日/Tues-Sat 11:30~21:00
日曜・祝日/Sun & hol. 10:30~21:00
定休日/Closed: 月曜日/Mon
Open holiday Mondays at 10:30,
but closed that next Tuesday.

True, true—we usually review bars here, but sometimes cravings for coffee are stronger than those for alcohol. “Fresh Beans Honmoku Coffee” is one store that can definitely satisfy your caffeine needs.

Located just a block down from Boogie Café, this quaint little store opened in 2002 by husband and wife Sasaki Kunihiko and Norie offers roughly 50 different varieties of coffee beans from around the world. Some—like Jamaican Blue Mountain—are luxury, others are more affordable. They even have Fairtrade! Buy in units of 100 grams (up to 500 or 600), or enjoy a cup of the house coffee in the store (hot or cold) for only 200 yen—there are two small tables where you can sip and read. We are imbibing some aromatic black here as we write and design the page!

In addition to coffee, they sell an array of coffee products and equipment. Rounding out the store’s stock are varieties of tea, snacks, sweets and other foodstuffs. Mmmm, those Tim Tams would go great with this cup. If you don’t know the Australian way of using Tim Tams as a coffee straw, ask Sasaki!

住所: 中区本牧間門25-11
Naka-ku, Honmoku Makado 25-11
Prominence Honmoku 102
TEL: 045-621-6902

営業時間/Hours:9:30~20:00
定休日/Closed: 水曜日/Wed
(珈琲豆の販売は19:00時まで)

Japanese national treasures and important cultural assets possessed by Hara Sankei, the creator of Sankei-en

Yokohama established stronger trade ties following the port opening 150 years ago. Hara Sankei, a businessman who was particularly active in that trade, is known for collecting artwork and supporting young artists. When Sankei-en first opened to the public in 1906, it was his deep belief that art should not be stored away but displayed, and that both nature and beauty were everyone’s possession. With the riches he received through trade, Hara was a patron of cultural preservation and cultivation. The many pieces of art that were removed from Sankei-en after his death are once again gathered at Sankei-en for public appreciation.

Exhibit period: through 11/30
Closings: 11/16, to change the display. Sankei-en will be open.
Location: Sankei-en Memorial Hall, in Sankei-en
Ticket set (gardens & display): general (middle school to senior) ¥1000; children, ¥200
Display only: general, ¥700; children, free
(Garden entry: general, ¥500; senior, ¥300; children, ¥200)

Naka-ku, Honmoku Sannotani 58-1
045-621-0634
www.sankeien.or.jp

by David Ellis

One of the most interesting places in Yokohama is the Yamate Bluff area, which is where many foreign people lived during the Meiji Era. There are a number of historic places to visit on the bluff, but until recently I didn’t feel motivated to go there because I dreaded making the steep climb to the top of the bluff. The city of Yokohama has solved this problem by building the new America-Yama Park on the hill. You can enter the new park from Motomachi-Chukagai Station by riding an elevator or escalators up the steepest half of the hill.

America-Yama Park is built on the site of the American Legation in the Meiji Era. The park is a small, Western-style park with grass landscaping, small flower gardens, benches, and a gazebo. The park affords a nice view of the Yamashita-cho area on the edge of Chinatown. Most people make their way quickly through the park, however, as it serves as a nice short cut to the bluff. In the early morning and afternoon, there are many foreign parents and their kids passing through the park on their way to two of the most prestigious international schools in the area: Saint Maur International School and Yokohama International School (YIS).

Tourists and locals alike use the new park to quickly access the bluff’s many attractions, including old Western-style houses that are open to the public as museums or tea shops. The Toys Club Museum is well worth a visit if you are a fan of old tin toys (robots, cars, airplanes, etc.), and Harbor View Park has an excellent view of the harbor and the Yokohama Bay Bridge. There are also several beautiful churches on the Bluff offering English or bilingual church services.

The hike up to the Bluff has gotten much easier thanks to America-Yama Park and I’m sure the park’s elevator and escalators will lead to a revival of interest in visiting the historic bluff area.